Tell Me You Don't Need Me
by Frost1610
Summary: Brennan has to go away for a book tour and she and Booth aren't dealing with it well. Lucky for our intrepid heroes a case will reunite them. Angsty in the beginning with B&B in the end. Definitely M in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here it is! New stuff and all original too! It's all written except for the final chapter so posting should happen relatively quickly depending on how fast I can make myself proofread and how much editing needs to happen.**

**The usual disclaimers apply: I don't own them. I'm only borrowing them, and that's a shame.**

Dr. Temperance Brennan finished the last of the paperwork her partner Special Agent Seeley Booth needed to wrap up their most recent case. She put the paperwork back in the folder and put it in her bag to give to Booth when they met for dinner tonight. Brennan checked her email one last time and printed out her travel itinerary before setting her auto-reply and shutting down her computer.

Brennan looked over her itinerary once more and sighed. She didn't like the idea of being away from The Jeffersonian for so long for a book tour. Leaving for an extended period of time didn't usually bother her because she was busy on a dig or identifying remains. This time would be different, she'd have little to keep her busy for most of the day outside of the few hours she'd spend meeting fans.

With one last check around her office to make sure everything was in its place, Brennan switched off the light and locked her door. She made her way through the lab and out to the parking garage. Just as she was about to open her car door her phone buzzed. It was a text from Booth reminding her of their plans to eat dinner. She smiled as she keyed in her answer that she was just leaving The Jeffersonian.

The drive to the diner was a slow one. There was a lot of traffic at 5:00 PM. Brennan thought more about her impending absence. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea for her to leave for three weeks. On the other hand, Booth would have access to the rest of her team as well as her interns and she was confident that they would not disappoint her.

As Brennan pulled up to the diner she could see Booth sitting at their usual table. He looked tired. More tired than usual. She watched for a moment as he picked at a piece of pie and skimmed over a newspaper. She was going to miss him. As much as they bickered she enjoyed the time they spent together. More and more she'd found herself looking for excuses to see him outside of work. Paperwork and late night Thai. A forgotten case file. Maybe this trip would give her some perspective on her feelings where Booth was concerned.

Finally Brennan got out of her car and headed into the diner. Booth looked up expectantly when the bell rang as the door opened. As soon as he saw her, his features softened and he smiled.

"Hey Bones, how's it going?" He asked.

"Good." She smiled. "Sorry I'm late. Have you eaten already?"

"No worries. Just the pie, I needed something to hold me over."

"I'll never understand your desire to eat cooked fruit, Booth."

The waitress showed up with their usual orders and Booth chuckled lightly as he nudged his plate toward his partner so she could have some of his fries. She passed him the ketchup as he studied his burger.

Something was off with Booth, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was unlike him to push pie around a plate and stare at his burger rather than metaphorically inhaling it. She briefly wondered if he was upset that she was going away, but quickly pushed that thought out of her mind. There was no reason he should be upset that she was leaving. It's not like he had feelings for her. He'd made that devastatingly clear when he'd drawn his line.

"Bones?" Booth's voice brought her back to reality.

"Sorry, what Booth?"

"Nothing, you just seemed spaced out."

"I don't know what that means." She replied automatically.

Booth shook his head and smiled at his partner. "Of course you don't."

Brennan ignored his comment and pulled the case file out of her bag while she continued to eat. She set the file on the table and slid it across to Booth.

"I've finished the portion you need from me. I'm leaving tomorrow and I didn't want you to have to wait until I returned to finish the paperwork."

"Gee thanks, Bones."

She missed the frown and hint of sarcasm in his voice. Truth be told he enjoyed their late night paperwork and Thai marathons. It seemed like that was the one time he got some insight into what she was like outside of work. Even now when they were just having a meal she was all business. But at her apartment, or his, late at night after some Thai and a couple of beers he got a glimpse of what he considered the real Temperance Brennan. A little softer, not so guarded, and definitely more fun.

Booth didn't want to admit to himself that he was going to miss her these next three weeks. When he'd first realized he was dreading this upcoming book tour he'd chalked it up to being without a partner for three weeks. While he'd initially had to be blackmailed into letting Brennan into the field, he'd grown accustomed to working cases with her and hated being partnered with anyone else. As the weeks before her trip turned into days Booth realized the real reason for his dread. He was going to miss her. And not just miss having a partner; he was going to miss _her_.

The partners continued to eat in companionable silence as Booth looked over Brennan's meticulous notes. Rather than actually reading the case file, Booth found himself wondering what he would do for the next three weeks. Brennan had really become his social life outside of work and recreational hockey these last few years.

Booth finished his burger as Brennan polished off the last of his fries. The waitress brought their checks and the pair settled up before heading out to their vehicles.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride to the airport tomorrow?" He asked, hoping she'd changed her mind.

"No, my agent has arranged all of my transportation." She answered automatically. He'd asked several times in the last few weeks if she needed a ride. Part of her wanted to cancel the arrangements with her agent and just let Booth take her. She really was going to miss him and it would be nice to spend a little extra time with him before she left, but she knew she shouldn't do that to herself. He'd drawn his line and she didn't understand why she continued to torture herself with the hope that he'd change his mind.

"Well, let me know if you change your mind. I'm always available." He smiled even as his heart sank. "Have a safe trip and call if you need anything."

"Thank you, Booth." She smiled as she got into her car.

Booth drove home and tried not to think about what he was going to do for the next three weeks. Maybe he could get Rebecca to agree to some extra time with Parker. The only problem with that was that Brennan had turned his kid into a mini squint so they were guaranteed to spend at least one Saturday afternoon at The Jeffersonian.

Booth pulled into his usual parking space and took the stairs two at a time to get up to his apartment. Once inside he kicked off his shoes and pulled at his tie before making his way back to his bedroom to change into something more comfortable. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and sat down on the couch to catch up on sports news.

* * *

Brennan tried not to think about Booth. She really did. But she couldn't let go of the feeling that something was wrong with him. He'd acted strangely at dinner—pushing food around his plate and barely talking. She tried to push the thought out her mind in favor of figuring out what she needed to pack for her trip. Brennan wasn't typically one to procrastinate, but she just couldn't motivate herself to pack. And if she were being honest with herself, she just couldn't motivate herself to be away from her partner for three weeks.

Finally, after two hours of packing and unpacking and repacking, Brennan's suitcase was ready for departure. She set her bag next to the door and draped her dress bag over the couch. She grabbed a beer out of her refrigerator and sat on the couch with her laptop to work on another chapter for her next book. When she found she could no longer keep her eyes open she decided to pack it in for the night.

Brennan had changed into pajamas, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. She climbed into bed and set her alarm for 4:00 AM. It would be an early start tomorrow. She settled back into bed and was just about to shut off her bedside lamp when she heard a knock at her door.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sitting in a waiting room all morning has its perks. For you guys anyway. That is if you consider a new chapter a perk. It's short-ish and I tried my hand at Angela. Reviews are always welcome. **

* * *

"Booth. What are you doing here? It's late."

He tried to pull it together. He definitely hadn't been expecting her to answer the door in her pajamas. If you could call what she was wearing pajamas. The tiny shorts and tank top just barely covered the parts that needed covering. Booth tried to stifle the grin that was creeping up as he held up her jacket.

"You left this in my truck. I thought you might need it." He answered.

"I have several jackets. I would have survived without this one." She smiled. "But, thank you, anyway."

"Well, uh, I guess I better get going. You probably have to be up early tomorrow." He turned to leave. Before he could get to the end of the hallway he heard her call his name.

"Booth?"

"Yeah, Bones."

"Thanks." She said again as she closed her door.

* * *

What had he been thinking showing up at her apartment that late at night? What did he think was going to happen? Was she going to invite him in? Ask him to stay the night? He could only wish that would happen.

Though he'd known that going to her apartment probably wasn't one of his brightest ideas, he was glad he'd gone nonetheless. He'd gotten to see her one more time before she left. That was the important part. The way he was missing her you'd think she was going on a yearlong dig, not a three-week book tour. He really needed to rein it in before she got back from this trip.

* * *

Why had he come to her apartment that night? Why couldn't he just tell her what was bothering him. He had to know she had other jackets, that she would have been okay without this one for the duration of her trip. So what had been the real reason for his visit?

Maybe she was just being paranoid. It was Booth after all, things with him tended to be pretty straight forward, at least where she was concerned. Brennan tried to push the thoughts of her partner out of her head so she could get some sleep. Tomorrow was already going to be a long day, no need to add lack of sleep to the mix.

Eventually Brennan drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately her slumber was plagued by dreams of her partner. Dreams of him being blown up by refrigerator bombs, shot by psychotic stalkers, and kidnapped by crazed lawyers. She was finally yanked from her nightmares by the sound of her screeching alarm reminding her that the day to begin her book tour had finally begun.

Brennan showered, dressed, and ate in record time. She found herself with an hour to kill before he agent would arrive to pick her up for their flight. Unfortunately her thoughts again drifted back to her partner. Why was she dreaming about him again? The dreams had finally stopped once she'd gone to Guatemala after Booth's brain surgery.

Brennan was startled out of her ruminations by a knock at her door. Her agent was here to pick her up. Time to get the show on the road, as Booth would say. She grabbed her bags, gave her apartment a last once over, and locked up.

The ride to the airport was a quiet one. Not something Brennan was unaccustomed to, but she would have appreciated a little conversation to keep her mind off of her partner. Instead she stared out the window and watched as DC passed her by.

Once she got to the airport things began to pick up. She got her boarding pass and headed toward the security checkpoint. Brennan's agent left her with a hug and a wish for good luck. She was glad to be on her own, the silence between two people always seemed worse than just being alone. Once she'd been scanned and searched Brennan made her way to the gate to wait for the plane.

The flight to Los Angeles was a long one. As usual Brennan flew first class which had the advantage of extra legroom and a seat that reclined fully. Her restless sleep the night before made it particularly easy to fall asleep on the plane. She awoke again just as the plane began its descent into LAX.

Brennan grabbed her bags off of the luggage carousel and made her way to the car rental desk. While she waited in line she turned her phone back on and checked for messages. Not surprisingly there were several messages from Booth and Angela demanding to know when she'd arrived at her hotel. She smiled to herself at the concern of her friends for her safety. She'd never needed protecting before, but the two of them would never change.

Brennan signed the paperwork and made her way out to her rental car. After punching the address of the hotel into the GPS she set out on her way. It was only a twenty-minute drive from the airport to the hotel, but it seemed like it took forever to get there. Lack of sleep was taking its toll on Brennan's patience. When she finally made it to the hotel she had another twenty-minute wait to get checked in.

A sigh of relief escaped Brennan's lips as she finally made it to her room. She flopped back onto the bed and closed her eyes. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep he phone began to buzz. Intent on ignoring it she pushed the annoying device further away from her. Eventually the buzzing stopped, but only for a minute before it started again. Finally she picked up the phone, "Brennan." She knew she sounded annoyed, but she didn't care.

"Bren! I just wanted to make sure you got in okay. I hadn't heard anything all day."

"I just got here, Ange. The flight was long, the drive to the hotel was long, there was a line to check in."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie. I really just wanted to make sure everything was okay. When Booth said he hadn't heard anything I got worried."

"Thank you for the concern, unwarranted though it is."

"We miss you. Be safe. Make sure you get some sleep."

Brennan's heart jumped a little at Angela's "we." Had she meant her and Booth? She was much too tired to deal with fleeting emotions right now.

"I miss you too."

"Bye, Sweetie. I'll call you later this week."

"Sounds good, Ange. Bye."

* * *

"She's fine, Booth."

Booth's hand immediately went to the back of his neck. A gesture Angela recognized as evidence that he was stressed out. She'd never understand why these two didn't just bite the bullet and get together. Brennan wasn't the easiest person to read, but it was obvious she cared about Booth. He was a different story. He was in love with her. Anyone who'd known the pair for any length of time could easily see that, that was the case. Angela knew why he didn't just tell her. He was clearly afraid that Brennan would run. Despite that knowledge, she still wanted to knock Booth upside the head and tell him to man up and get it over with.

"Thanks, Ange. I guess I could have called her." He sighed. He should have just called her. She would have admonished him just the same as Angela for worrying unnecessarily. He really did miss her already. It seemed ridiculous; she'd been gone less than a day.

Angela smiled at him sympathetically. "You should just tell her, Booth." She knew she was meddling, but really it's what she did best.

"Tell her what?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"I don't know. That you love her. That you can't live without her. That she's the only person you think about when you get up in the morning and before you go to bed at night."

"Angela…I don't—"

"Don't even." She cut him off. "It's obvious to just about everyone how you feel about her. Except to Brennan, apparently." She had no intention of letting him out of this.

"Angela." He warned. He really wasn't in the mood to argue about this. He was tired and he would probably be tired for the duration of Brennan's book tour. He didn't sleep well when he wasn't sure of her safety. Besides, she didn't want him. That was abundantly clear.

"Booth." She mirrored his warning tone. "This stalemate the two of you have going on; it's ridiculous. One of you has to break it and it sure as hell isn't going to be Brennan. She's too scared that you'll leave if she lets down those walls. Clearly you love her. 'Just a partner' doesn't worry the way you've worried all day. And Brennan, she loves you, you just have to make her see that."

Booth sighed. "She doesn't love me Angela. She doesn't even believe in love. She thinks its just chemicals. She…I don't know."

Angela just shook her head and chuckled. "It's amazing how blind two people can be. You two, you love each other and everyone can see that but the two of you."

She grabbed her bag and got her wallet out to pay. As she got up to leave Angela put a hand on Booth's shoulder. "If you really love her you'll find a way to tell her." She left her money on the table and walked out of the diner leaving Booth to think about her advice.

And think he did. He wondered if Angela was right about Brennan loving him. There'd been so many missed chances between them, so many mistakes and missteps. There'd been his line. But she'd made no effort to cross it and if Brennan really wanted something she went and got it. There'd been her reaction to his "death." She'd been so angry with him. Why would she be so angry if she didn't feel something for him?

Booth sat and picked at his pie and thought about Angela's words. He briefly toyed with the idea of calling Brennan tonight, but after overhearing her conversation with Angela and decided she was probably too tired to be bothered tonight. Finally he pulled out his wallet and paid for his food before setting out for home.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Another chapter. Brennan is bored and Booth has a case. Wonder what'll happen? Anyway, I'm also a huge fan of Warehouse 13 and there's a reference to that show in this chapter (as well as the next chapter too, I think). Props to you if you watch WH13 and you can find the reference… Not that it's all that obscure. Anyway, read on! Review. Make me happy that I took a break from studying the cardiovascular system to proofread and post.**

**Also, someone pointed out that if Brennan's manager gave her a ride to the airport that one would think similar arrangements would be made on the other end of the trip. I like to think she'd want to drive herself since Booth does all the driving when they're together. Not really important... Just a side note really.**

* * *

Temperance Brennan awoke with a start. Panic washed over her momentarily until she remembered where she was. In a hotel, in Los Angeles, on a book tour. She sat up slowly and looked around for a clock. Her gaze settled on the soft green glow of the hotel furnished alarm clock. 11:32 PM Pacific Time, 2:32AM at home. Well, she certainly wouldn't be returning Booth's calls now.

Brennan swung her legs over the side of the bed and padded toward the bathroom. Her eyes closed automatically against the harsh light in the bathroom. She pulled the shower curtain away and turned on the faucet. She let hot water pound over her as she thought about how she would get through the next weeks without work to keep her occupied. Unfortunately a lack of work would leave an abundance of time to think.

When she could no longer keep her eyes open Brennan turned off the water and dried off before crawling back into bed. She just barely remembered to set the alarm on her cell phone before drifting off into another restless sleep.

* * *

Back in Washington DC Seeley Booth found himself in a similar predicament. He tossed and turned for hours before he decided he wasn't getting any sleep. Finally he got up and moved out to the couch hoping that the sounds of Sports Center would soothe him to sleep.

He still hadn't heard from Brennan. He knew he shouldn't worry. Angela had talked to her; she was just tired and had probably fallen asleep. He considered texting her again, just to ease his mind. Ultimately he decided against the text knowing that Brennan would probably just get upset with him for being overprotective.

Eventually Booth drifted off into a fitful sleep. His partner plagued his dreams and it felt as though he awoke at least once an hour. He was finally dragged from unconsciousness by the incessant chirping of his cell phone. He was headed to Denver for a case.

* * *

Brennan arrived at Landis Books an hour before the signing was to start. She met with the shop owner, whom it turned out was a fan of the books and had lobbied quite creatively to convince Brennan's manager to send her for a signing. Brennan was grateful for the cup of coffee and the conversation to keep her mind occupied.

She spent the afternoon meeting with fans, signing books, and answering questions. No, Kathy and Andy were not based on her work with Agent Booth. Yes, she did sometimes get ideas for stories based on cases she's worked. Overall, it wasn't a bad way to spend an afternoon. The store had had a steady stream of customers coming in to see her so there were only a few moments when her mind drifted back to her partner. She hadn't heard anything from him since yesterday, but if she knew Booth it was driving him crazy that he hadn't heard from her. She resolved to call him when she was done.

The signing wrapped up around 5:00 PM. Brennan stayed to help the shop owner clean up despite the woman's protests. Brennan was a best selling author, she certainly didn't need to stay and help clean up, but she really didn't have anything else going on and this was preferable to sitting in her hotel room alone.

Brennan made it back to her hotel room by 7:00 PM. She showered and ordered room service before sitting down to check her messages. She still hadn't heard anything else from Booth. Strange. She pulled up his contact information and pushed to dial his number. She waited impatiently as the phone rang. She expected him to pick up on the first ring and lecture her about getting back to him so he knew she was safe. She was slightly miffed when he didn't answer the phone and the call went to voicemail. She left a message and immediately keyed into her text messages to send him a text.

When Brennan finished her dinner and still hadn't heard from Booth she started to get irritated. She knew it was totally irrational, but she wondered if the reason he wasn't answering is because he was out with some other woman. It would have been 10:00 PM in DC when she texted him. Certainly not late enough for him to be in bed yet. Why wasn't he calling her back?

Another hour passed before she heard anything from Booth. _Sorry I didn't call back. Got a case._ That was it. No questions about how her flight was or how she was or how the signing went. She decided he must still be upset with her for not calling back yesterday and set the phone down in favor of her laptop. She spent the remainder of her night working on her next book.

* * *

Booth had spent the day trying to get a flight out to Denver while simultaneously making sure that the crime scene techs there knew not to touch the crime scene until he arrived with one of Brennan's interns. To his utter dismay, that intern turned out to be Daisy Wick. Fantastic. While Daisy was entirely competent she had an innate ability to annoy Booth with her incessant rambling.

Booth had actually spent more time trying to convince Cam to let him have another intern, any other intern, than he had making flight arrangements and scaring crime scene techs into submission. In the end he'd ended up on a flight to Denver with Diasy anyway. And the real kicker? The annoying intern got to fly first class—thanks to the Jeffersonian—while Booth was stuck in coach.

It was 6:30 PM when they finally arrived at the crime scene. The body of a senior Secret Service agent had been found just off of a hiking trail right outside Denver. It had been an unseasonably cool spring and the trail hadn't seen much use so the body had gone undiscovered for quite some time.

"Oh, this seems rather unpleasant!" Daisy remarked as she flitted around the remains. "Ante mortem fractures to right tibia and fibula, right ulna, ribs five, six, and seven, as well as a fracture to the frontal and temporal bones likely resulting in death."

"So, murder?" Booth clarified.

"I would say so." Ms. Wick frowned.

"Alight! Pack him up and have him shipped to The Jeffersonian along with any other evidence collected in the area." Booth directed the crime scene techs.

"Ah, Agent Booth, not so fast." A man in a suit worth more than Booth made in a month suddenly appeared behind him.

"And can I ask what makes you qualified to direct my crime scene?" Booth turned to look at the mystery man.

"Director Gary Scott. I oversee the Denver Secret Service Field Office. Agent Clayton was one of mine and neither his remains nor any of the evidence connected to this case will be analyzed anywhere but here in Denver."

"I…uh…Sorry, sir. I didn't realize…" Booth stuttered out a half apology.

"No harm done Agent…?"

"Booth." He filled in.

"No harm done Agent Booth. I just want to be certain that everything is done by the book and we have an airtight case against the bastard responsible for this." Director Scott surveyed the scene clearly not finding what he was looking for. "Where is Dr. Brennan, I'd like to speak to her about the facilities available while you're here."

"Bo—Dr. Brennan couldn't be here, sir. She's on a book tour for the next three weeks."

"On a book tour?" Director Scott frowned. "She was the reason your team was contacted in the first place. She's a world renowned forensic anthropologist and I want her working this case!"

"I have one of her more-than-capable interns, sir. And if we can bring the rest of Dr. Brennan's team out here I think…"

"Unacceptable! As I said earlier, I want only the best working on this case and that means Dr. Brennan. Now you do what you have to do to get her here. Do you understand that, Agent?"

"Yes, sir." Booth sighed. How the hell was he going to get Brennan out here?

"Agent Booth!" Daisy pulled him from his thoughts.

"Yes, Ms. Wick." He knew he sounded annoyed, but he didn't care.

"Well, it just so happens that Denver is next on Dr. Brennan's itinerary. A small family owned book store called Bering and Sons." She sounded pleased with herself.

"I don't even want to know how you know that." Booth muttered as he walked away.

"Eidetic memory, Agent Booth, I saw a copy of her itinerary the other day." She called after him. He clearly wasn't listening to her.

As Booth walked back toward his SUV he dialed Angela. Maybe she would know where he could find Brennan.

"Angela, hey, it's Booth."

"What's going on, studly? Profess your love for our favorite forensic anthropologist yet?"

"Don't have time for that right now. Daisy said Bones is coming to Denver next?" He asked.

"Ummm…I think so let me grab the itinerary."

How come everyone else had seen this itinerary except for him?

"Yeah, she's going to some little book store called Bering and Sons in Denver. She'll be there tomorrow. Looks like her flight gets in around 11:30 AM your time. What's going on?"

"Got called out here on a case. Vic is a Secret Service Agent and the Director is riding my ass about Bones not being here. Says he only wants the best. I didn't want to interrupt her book tour, but it looks like I don't really have a choice now."

"Uh huh, a case, okay. Well let me know if you need anything else."

"Thanks, Ange." He started to hang up but remembered he needed and ID on the victim. "Oh hey, Angela? If I send you dental records can you ID this guy for me so I know we're dealing with the right person?"

"Sure, send me what you've got so far. Oh… and Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't forget what I told you the other night."

"Yeah, Ange, I know."

He ended the call and rested his head against the steering wheel. Just when he thought he'd get a few minutes of silence, Daisy piled into the SUV having sent the body and evidence with the techs to the morgue.

"Cheer up, Buttercup." Daisy admonished him.

"Not now, Daisy." He sighed.

It was going to be a long night. He still had to drop Daisy off at the hotel before he could go down to the FBI field office to get some work done. He'd need to figure out how to get Brennan involved and he had the distinct feeling that she wasn't going to be very happy about it. Booth put the SUV in gear and headed out.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: More references to Warehouse 13. Do none of you watch that show? That would be disappointing. The guy who played Sully in Season 2 (I think) plays Agent Pete Lattimer. And he is much better looking without the floppy hair. But I digress. Still no smut. I swear there will be smut. I promise. The smut is written. You just have to be patient. And review. If you write it (smut, that is) they will come. I think that's how it goes. Anyway, apologies for the disjointed author's note. Enjoy and Review.**

* * *

Once again Temperance Brennan was jerked from dreamland into the cold light of reality by her the chirping of her cell phone alarm. She reached for the offending piece of technology and silenced it without even opening her eyes. She knew she needed to get up, but the last few sleepless nights were beginning to take a toll on her ability to get out of bed at a decent hour.

Finally Brennan rolled to her back and flung her legs over the side of the bed. She groaned as she sat up and stretched. She needed to be to the airport by 7:30 AM to check in and make her 9:00 AM flight. She'd be flying out to Denver today for the second stop on her book tour—another little privately owned bookshop called Bering and Sons. Interestingly enough the proprietor didn't even have any sons, only a daughter who happened to be a Secret Service Agent.

Brennan checked her phone one more time before heading into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. She really expected to have heard from Booth by now. Even when they didn't have a case they still talked on a daily basis. Brennan was really starting to worry that something was wrong with Booth. She shook the feeling off and got ready for the day.

She returned her rental car, checked in for her flight, and got through security in record time. She now had an hour to wait before her flight was to leave. She kept checking her phone almost compulsively and typed out several texts to her partner before erasing them. Just before boarding was to start her phone began to buzz. She looked at the caller ID only to be disappointed that it was her agent calling.

"Brennan." She answered.

"Dr. Brennan, there's been a change of plans for your next stop."

"Oh?"

"Rather than getting a rental car someone will be meeting you there. You'll also be staying a few days later than planned. There was a bit of a snafu with your stop after Denver, nothing to worry about."

"Who will be picking me up?" She asked.

"Umm. I'm not sure of the gentleman's name, but he'll be holding a sign. You won't miss him. I apologize for the last minute change, but you understand that these things happen."

"Yes, of course." She answered. "I've been called for boarding, so I need to be going now. Thank you."

Brennan ended the call and shut down her cell phone before boarding the plane. She was mildly annoyed at the changes, but there wasn't much she could do about it at this point. She had two hours on the plane to sleep off this foul mood, she hoped it would work.

* * *

Booth paced back and forth in front of the concourse. Despite his high security clearance he was unable to get beyond the security gates to wait for his partner. He knew that Brennan would not be happy to see him. She already thought he was an over protective alpha male; this certainly wasn't going to help matters.

It was still going to be another hour before Brennan's flight would arrive. A beer to settle his nerves was out of the question since he was officially on the clock. Instead he settled for a cup of coffee at the Sky Bar while he waited for his partner.

Finally he heard the voice over the intercom announce the arrival of Brennan's flight. He nearly leapt out of his chair with excitement. Perhaps that second cup of coffee hadn't been a wise idea.

Booth was back to pacing the concourse until he spotted her. It seemed like she was looking for someone in particular. He'd only called her agent and asked her to tell Brennan that plans had changed and that someone would be picking her up. He made his way toward her making sure to keep out of her direct line of sight. When he got close enough he made his move.

"Hey, Bones! What a coincidence meeting in an airport like this. You out on tour; me on a case. " He was a little surprised when she nearly decked him.

"Booth!" She sounded frustrated. "What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Giving you a ride to the crime scene." He smiled.

That smile. That was her undoing. She could never stay mad at him when he smiled at her like that. And truth be told she'd missed him so much in the last 36 hours that she didn't think she could be mad at him even if she wanted to. And there it was, the real reason she was miffed at their lack of contact in the last couple of day, she missed him. She missed him. Strange.

"What crime scene? I'm here for a book tour, remember?" She was half joking, half serious.

"Funny Bones."

"My agent said someone would be meeting me here to take me to my hotel."

"Yeah, that would be me. I called and asked them to let you know there would be a change of plans." He filled in the blanks. "Come on. Let's pick up your luggage and I'll fill you in on the details."

Always the alpha male, Booth plucked Brennan's bags from the luggage carousel and insisted on wheeling them to the SUV. On the way to Brennan's hotel he filled her in on all the details about Secret Service Agent David Clayton—from discovery of the body in the park in Denver to the confrontation with Director Scott.

"So why didn't you just call me?" She queried.

"I dunno Bones. I figured you were out book-touring and didn't want to be bothered. I also didn't want you to worry about work while you were away."

"That's ridiculous, Booth." She sighed. "I was bored anyway."

"Bones! You've only been gone a day." He chuckled.

"What difference does it make how long I've been gone?" She was confused.

"Well, most people wait at least a week to get bored." He smiled.

"I don't know what that means."

"It means you don't know how to take a vacation."

"But I wasn't on vacation. I was on a book tour. And there was very little to keep me intellectually stimulated. Most of the people I converse with during these tours are average people of average intelligence and the conversation in unremarkable."

"Average people? You wound me."

"I don't know wh—"

"Never mind, Bones. It's good to see you though."

She smiled at this. It was good to see him too. All too quickly the car ride was over as they pulled up to her hotel. Booth helped her get her bags up to her room and flopped onto the couch while she went to the bathroom to get cleaned up. She'd been hoping for a nap after her flight, but that clearly wouldn't happen now. All this jumping time zones and lack of sleep was wreaking havoc on her sleep-wake cycle.

When she came out of the bathroom Booth was snoring softly on the couch. She stood stock still for a few minutes watching him. She wondered if he'd been sleeping as poorly as she had. He was clearly exhausted, but was that a product of worrying about her or was it this new case? Either way they really needed to get going so she could examine the remains.

* * *

Brennan had not gotten nearly enough sleep in the last 48 hours to be forced to deal with Daisy Wick. She barely tolerated the woman when she was well rested. Despite that, she had to admit that the young intern had done well. Blows to the frontal and temporal bones had likely killed the victim. The rib fractures were older than the rest. Likely sustained days or a week before the blows that killed him. Also likely caused by a fist rather than an object. Spiral tibia and fibula fractures indicated that the victim likely twisted his ankle, possibly during a pursuit. She was definitely tired if she was speculating. Fracture to the ulna had likely occurred with a fall, possibly when the victim broke his ankle.

Brennan finished cataloging the injuries and sent them to Angela to feed into the Angelatron to see if she could come up with a likely scenario. It would be a few hours before Angela had anything and Brennan figured this would be as good a time as any to go over the case with Booth.

While Brennan worked on the body Booth interviewed the victims wife, friends, and coworkers. Unfortunately those interviews had been little help to the case. By all accounts David Clayton had been a stand up agent, friend, and husband who'd simply gone missing several months ago. When he hadn't come home one night his wife assumed that he was out on a case and didn't think much of it. When he didn't come home the next day she began to worry and called it in. The Secret Service had poured nearly all of their available resources into finding Agent Clayton, but had come up empty handed. Booth could find no evidence that the man was a dirty cop or that some mission had gone horribly wrong.

By the time he returned to Brennan's makeshift lab he was beginning to wonder if they were going to find any evidence at all. As it turned out Brennan had had just about as much luck as her partner. Angela was able to put together a likely scenario proving Brennan's postulations correct. The victim had probably been involved in a chase that ended with his twisting and breaking his ankle resulting in a fall that broke his wrist. After that he was struck in the head twice with a blunt object—probably a wooden bat or a cane judging by the marks and particulates found in the wound. The previously broken ribs were still a mystery, one she was hoping Booth's interviews could shed some light on.

"Come on, Bones. It's been a long day for everyone, let's call it a night." He urged gently.

She sighed knowing there wasn't much more to be done tonight. "Alright."

"What do you want to do for dinner?" He asked.

"According to the brochure the hotel I'm staying at has a bar and grill that serves a decent meal."

"Sounds good to me." He agreed.

And the partners were off. Booth's hand immediately fell to that place at the small of her back as he guided her toward the exit. They made their way to Booth's borrowed SUV and headed out toward Brennan's hotel.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: No note really other than that I'd really appreciate reviews. Happy Labor Day weekend. Hopefully yours was less eventful than mine.**

Booth and Brennan enjoyed a quiet dinner at the hotel bar. Booth brought her up to speed on what he'd learned from the victim's friends and family, which wasn't much. They quickly fell back into the awkward silence from a few evenings before. Booth knew he needed to tell her, knew Angela was right, but he just couldn't make himself say the words. He was terrified she'd run for the hills as soon as he told her how he felt.

Just as Brennan was about to call Booth out for acting strangely the pair were interrupted by a group of fans. Brennan signed a few autographs and chatted with her fans for a few moments before excusing herself. It had been a long and strange day and while she could appreciate the support of her fans her primary concern at the moment was Booth's continued distant behavior.

Booth started to walk Brennan to her room when he realized they were going the wrong way. "Hey Bones? Where ya headed?"

"I'm not ready to go up to my room quite yet. I thought I'd take a walk and stretch my legs a bit. You can come with if you'd like." She hoped he'd accept the offer. She really wanted to know what was bothering him. He hadn't really been the same since his brain surgery and while, rationally, she understood that the surgery could very well be to blame for his current state she couldn't help but feel responsible.

"Uh, sure."

The partners walked the trail behind the hotel in silence. It was quiet and peaceful and everything their everyday life wasn't. Booth still wrestled with how and what to tell her while Brennan ran metaphoric circles around herself trying to figure out what was wrong. The silence was deafening.

Finally Brennan broke the stalemate. "Something is bothering you, Booth." She observed. "I believe you would feel better if you told me what it was."

He chuckled to himself. _I'll feel better and you'll be headed for the hills._ He sighed.

Suddenly Brennan remembered Angela's advice from years ago about knowing when a simple touch was enough. She was never really sure, but this was Booth and she figured it couldn't hurt to try. She reached out for his hand.

Booth's breath hitched as he felt her hand in his suddenly. "Bones." It came out a strangled warning. He sighed as he felt her thumb brush back and forth across his knuckles. At some point they'd stopped walking and Booth turned to face her. He lifted his hand to her face, ghosting fingertips over her temple before cupping her cheek.

Brennan's heart leapt at their sudden closeness. Internally she battled a mix of fear and excitement. She wanted this, wanted him, but he'd shown time and again that that just wasn't the case for him. He'd drawn a line and she had to respect that. Still she found herself leaning into him. She dropped her head to his shoulder and his other arm pulled her in closer so her body was flush against his.

Suddenly Brennan's chirping cell phone broke the silence. An audible groan escaped both of them as she reached for the offending device.

"Brennan." She practically yelled into it.

The only thing Booth could hear was Daisy Wick's voice, which sounded suspiciously like the "wah, wah, wah" of the Charlie Brown cartoons he'd watched as a kid. He watched Brennan's face for any indication of good or bad news. She ended the call looked up. Booth stared back at her expectantly.

"Any news?" He asked.

"Based on particulates collected from the wound and the size and shape Dr. Hodgins believes we're looking for a wooden baseball bat. The assailant is likely left handed and either an adolescent male or an adult woman." She summarized Daisy's excited jabbering.

"That's kind of a jump…A teenage boy or an adult woman? Where did bug man come up with those figures? And how does he know we're looking for a lefty who likes baseball?"

"The injuries are on the front and right side of the skull. If the assailant were right handed we would expect the injuries to be on the victim's front and left side. Dr. Hodgins believes it's a baseball bat based on the type of wood…ash… and the size and shape of the wound. As for the assailant, an adult male would have inflicted much more harm whereas an adult female or an adolescent male would likely inflict a similar amount of damage."

"Well the wife is right handed, so she's out, and their kids are ten and twelve year old boys. Probably pretty unlikely that it was either of them." He talked himself through the new findings.

"Actually Booth, the twelve year old could be responsible depending on his stature and the amount of muscle mass present." She sighed. She longed for the closeness of a few minutes ago. Her heart was still racing and she wanted nothing more than to fold herself up in his arms and let him hold her. But they were just partners. There was a line they couldn't cross.

Brennan started back toward the hotel room leaving Booth behind. She couldn't stand there and wait for something she knew would never happen. Despite the fact that she would miss work and her friends and most definitely Booth she had decided to go on the book tour primarily because she needed a break. She needed a break from Booth and whatever was going on between the two of them. She needed perspective and running away to a dig in another country just wasn't an option at the moment. So she'd chosen the next best thing: A 3-week book tour. She'd hoped that by the time she returned she would have her feelings for her partner in check.

Booth stood on the path mentally going through all of his interviews. The wife was definitely right handed. There was no outward evidence that either of the boys played baseball. No one he'd spoken with had mentioned any interest in baseball. Agent Clayton's desk had been pretty bare save for a picture of his family. Maybe the baseball bat had been a weapon of opportunity. He needed to find out what the Agent had been doing before he went missing. When Booth looked up again he realized he was alone.

Booth jogged back down the path until he caught sight of Brennan heading into the hotel. The woman was infuriating. Always walking off into danger with no regard for her own safety. Sure he was aware that she could certainly take care of herself if the situation called for it, but he wished she wouldn't intentionally put herself into situations that called for protection. He'd hoped that time apart for her book tour would allow him to get a handle on his feelings for her. However, it had quickly become clear to him that that absolutely was not going to happen. Granted she'd only been gone about 48 hours, but he'd gotten almost no sleep in those 48 hours and he was constantly worried because he hadn't heard from her.

Booth went around to the front of the hotel—Brennan had used a key card to swipe into a side entry—and headed up toward her room. He knocked twice before she came to the door.

"What the hell, Bones?" He asked.

"What the hell, what?" She shot back as she waved him inside and shut the door.

"Why'd you take off?"

"I didn't take off. I walked back to my room, something I'm perfectly capable doing alone, clearly."

"Bones." He sighed. "There's some psycho out there killing government agents, maybe you could be a little more careful."

"First of all, Booth, one agent was murdered several months ago with no other similar incidents occurring in the intervening months. Second of all, you're not my keeper. I didn't have to help you on this case. I'm supposed to be on a book tour." She spat. Truth be told she was glad to have something to do, but Booth's insistence at constantly being by her side was starting to become a problem. He'd made it perfectly clear he had no interest in her in any way other than in a professional manner, so why wouldn't he just back off?

"I just wish you'd be more careful." He said quietly.

"Why?" She almost yelled. "What does it matter to you?"

Booth took a step toward her as she took a step back into the door. Both of his hands came up to rest on the door next to her head, caging her in. Fighting the urge to shrink back Brennan pushed her chin upward and stared at him defiantly.

"It matters because I lo—" No, this was not the time or the place. He cleared his throat. "It matters because you're my partner and if anything happened to you it would kill me. I would feel responsible." He finished softly. Well, that was mostly true. It would kill him and he would feel responsible because he loved her.

Before he could drop his hands Brennan shoved at his chest and ducked out from under his arms. She walked over to her desk and sat down to start sifting through the evidence she had access to at the hotel. "You should leave, Booth." She didn't even look up at him.

Booth opened the door and stepped outside shooting one more glance before shutting it gently. His chest ached. There was a lump in his throat and tears that he refused to shed burned his eyes. Brennan had told him that the heart couldn't break because it was a muscle, it could only be crushed. Well, it certainly felt like his heart was being crushed. Even when she was really angry with him she never kicked him out. Angela was so sure that Brennan loved him, but he had a hard time believing it that night.

Brennan managed to hold back the sob threatening to escape until Booth shut her door. Why couldn't he just let her be? Why did he have to care so much? And why did she have to take it so personally? She was certain that his concern for her was little more than professional or that of a friend, but she couldn't help but hope it was more than that.

She picked up the phone and called Angela.

"Bren, Sweetie, what's wrong?" Angela asked, immediately concerned when she could hear her friend sniffling on the other end of the line.

"I can't take it anymore, Ange!" She cried. "I try to compartmentalize, but he makes it nearly impossible! He won't leave me alone."

"Who won't?" Angela had a pretty good idea who was responsible for her friend's tears.

"It doesn't matter. We're just partners. He's made it clear that that's all we'll ever be, but he makes it impossible to move on. He tells me there's a line, but then he follows me around and won't let me out of his sight. I can't even go on a book tour without him showing up." She ranted.

"What line?" Angela asked with interest.

"The case with Epps when Cam got sick. He said that we should keep professional and personal separate. He said there was a line and he couldn't cross it again because people he cared about got hurt." She sobbed.

"Oh, Sweetie. That was a long time ago. And things were different. Booth…he cares about you." She soothed.

"Yeah Ange. As a friend and a partner. Nothing more. He said as much tonight. I just need to move on."

Angela listened as Brennan vented. She attempted to soothe her friend's feelings—all the while plotting one Special Agent Seeley Booth's untimely demise. She'd told him to tell her how he felt about her, not break her heart. These two were apparently the only two people who couldn't see that they belonged together.

Finally Brennan pulled herself together and thanked Angela for listening to her ranting; however irrational. She plugged her phone in to charge and put away her work for the night. She decided she needed a bath to unwind.

* * *

Booth had gone back to Agent Clayton's home to speak to his wife. Upon further questioning he'd learned that Clayton's younger son played Little League baseball and that Clayton was the coach for the team. He now had a possible lead. Brennan had said the older son could possibly be responsible depending on his size, but Booth had ruled him out since he didn't play baseball and wasn't left handed.

He thanked Mrs. Clayton for her time once again before heading back out to his SUV. He sat in the truck going over his notes before he headed back to his hotel for the night. He'd need to interview parents and players on Clayton's son's team tomorrow. Just as he was about to pull away his phone rang. He answered it without looking at the caller ID desperately hoping it was his partner.

It was most definitely not Brennan. It was, however, her very irate best friend. As soon as he answered the phone he was met with an angry tirade and accusations about breaking Brennan's heart.

"Angela, would you slow down please? What's going on?" He asked.

"You broke her heart Booth. She thinks you don't love her. Actually, no, it's worse than that. She thinks she's in the friend zone."

"What the hell is the 'friend zone?'" He asked, irritated now.

"She thinks you only want her as a friend. She went on and on about some line you drew during the Epps case. She thinks you don't want her, Booth." Angela was almost whining now.

"Angela." Booth warned.

"I told you, Booth. I told you, you needed to tell her. And now she thinks there's no chance. She loves you and she thinks that you don't want her. You'd better fix it." With that she hung up.

Booth sat back in his truck and massaged his temples. He'd really screwed this up and now he had no idea how to fix it. He'd been so sure she didn't share his feelings that he'd held her at arm's length until she broke. He had to find a way to fix this.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: You know, in proofreading these I have realized that the description I posted isn't entirely honest. This story is not just angsty in the beginning. It's a whole huge angst fest. I'm all for full disclosure, so I just thought you'd all like to know.**

**Thanks to those that have reviewed. It's nice to know that it's not as awful as I think it is. In going back and rereading my own stuff I often wonder what the hell I was thinking when I wrote that.**

**In any event I leave you with the next installment. I can guarantee you there is no shortage of angst in this one. **

* * *

Brennan tossed and turned for most of the night. She willed herself to compartmentalize he feelings for Booth, but she failed miserably. What was it about him? She'd never cared what anyone thought before. Sure rejection stung, but it was brief and then she was over it. With Booth it was heart crushing. She'd never before needed someone like she needed Booth.

When it was clear that she wasn't going to get any sleep Brennan rolled over to look at the alarm. It was 4:30AM. She couldn't just go into the lab; she'd have to wait until someone showed up to let her in. She settled for working on her computer.

The techs had sent her copies of emails and documents found on Clayton's government issued computer. She sifted through the contents of the external hard drive that contained all the documents. Brennan was quickly able to separate work from personal items in Clayton's email. Perhaps the personal emails would shed some light on a potential suspect.

As it turned out, Clayton's younger son played Little League baseball and Agent Clayton was the team's coach. Brennan found emails from other team parents, mostly fathers, but a few of the mothers as well. She didn't find anything outright incriminating, but there were some interesting emails from a few of the boys' mothers.

Next she turned to text messages retrieved from both Agent Clayton's personal and government issued cell phones. Here she found something interesting. Agent Clayton had been carrying on affairs with several mothers of his son's teammates. She immediately grabbed her phone to call Booth, but thought better of it. She'd tell him when they met at the lab. No reason to bother him before hand.

It was 6:30 now and Brennan got up to shower and get ready for the day.

* * *

Booth hadn't slept much better than his partner. He knew he needed to tell her how he felt before he totally screwed things up between them. What if Angela was wrong? What if she was just being prickly because he'd interrupted her book tour? He wanted to be sure that she felt the same way he did. What he didn't want to do was ruin their partnership by admitting to feelings she didn't share and making things awkward between them.

He'd lain in bed until his alarm went off signaling that it was time to get up. Hopefully today would bring more leads and better luck. He got up to shower and start his day.

* * *

Booth stepped into his partner's makeshift lab quietly. He knew she'd heard him, but she didn't look up from her work. His chest ached all over again at the thought that she was so upset that she wouldn't talk to him.

Finally Brennan motioned toward the table next to her and told Booth about her find this morning. He was impressed that she'd spent time digging through emails and texts, something she usually let the techs do. She'd put together an organized timeline of Clayton's various affairs.

According to Brennan's chart Agent Clayton's first affair had begun about six months ago. He hadn't slept with just one of the Little League mom's though. There'd been four of them over the course of six months. In fact he was still sleeping with the first two women he'd begun affairs with at the time of his murder.

The first affair had begun in December of the previous year. The baseball team had been holding indoor practices and one of the mothers had been trying to coordinate rides with Clayton to get her son to practices. Near as Booth could tell at some point this lead to Clayton having coffee with the woman, Carrie Nelson. Coffee apparently became a euphemism for sex at some point.

The second affair started with Jenny Lewis about two months later. It appeared that she had just come on to Clayton and he'd accepted. They were still meeting once a week up until his death.

The third and fourth women—Carmen Berz and Joelle Anderson—also appeared to have come on to him and he'd accepted their advances. Each of those had fizzled out after a few weeks when they realized Clayton had no intention of leaving his wife.

Booth doubted that Berz or Anderson had anything to do with the murder. According to the text messages they'd sent Clayton each had essentially informed him that there were no hard feelings and that if he changed his mind he knew where to find them. The other two were a different story. Lewis and Nelson had apparently found out about one another. Nelson had threatened to tell Clayton's wife if he didn't break it off with Lewis. Lewis had threatened the same. It appeared that Clayton had gone missing shortly after his little love triangle was exposed.

Clayton's wife hadn't said anything about him having an affair. She'd made him out to be a model father and husband. He was actively involved in his sons' lives and Mrs. Clayton seemed satisfied with their marriage. Clayton must have done something to appease the other two women.

Booth finished sifting through the evidence and turned to his partner. She was still engrossed in the fracture to Clayton's frontal lobe. "Bones?" He asked softly "Find anything interesting in there."

"I always find my work interesting, Booth. I wouldn't do it if I didn't." She replied without looking up.

Okay then. She was still pissed. Booth knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with her as long as she was in this mood. "That's not what I—never mind. Thanks for going through all the emails and texts; this definitely gives me some new leads. I'm going to track down Lewis and Nelson if you don't need anything from me."

"What would I need from you? You're hardly trained to be useful in the lab." She replied coldly.

Booth stood up and headed out of the lab. He needed to figure out how to fix this, but first he needed to solve this case. He headed up to Director Scott's office to see if he could be any help in finding the two women.

As it turned out Director Scott also had a son on the team and was able to produce a list of contact information for all the parents with children on the team. With that Booth set out to find Carrie Nelson and Jenny Lewis. He ended up being unsuccessful in reaching either of the women, but was able to reach Carmen Berz. The woman had been extremely helpful. She'd actually known about Clayton's other affairs and was able to provide some information about the other women. Apparently Lewis and Nelson had been competing for Agent Clayton's attention for some time. He had only just given in in the last six months. Clayton had also confided in Berz that he was having trouble with his wife. She was disappointed that he worked so much and spent so much time with the baseball team in his spare time.

Carmen Berz was able to provide alternate contact information for Lewis and Nelson so Booth was able to track them down. Each woman had essentially told the same story that Booth had gathered from the emails and text messages. They had found out about one another and threatened to tell Clayton's wife if he didn't end it with the other woman. Each woman denied harboring any ill will toward Clayton and had emphatically denied being involved in his death. Lewis had however mentioned that Clayton's older son, Josh, had caught the two in bed at one point. She'd said that the boy had been really upset by what he'd seen but that Clayton had assured her that he wouldn't tell his mother.

Booth didn't have any reason to hold the two women and he felt that they were being honest with him. They'd both been forthcoming about the details and filled in holes in the text messages and emails. Booth headed back to the makeshift lab even more frustrated than when he'd left. None of the women were left-handed. None of their children were left handed or strong enough to do the damage done to Clayton's skull. He hoped that Brennan had something else for him when he got back.

* * *

When Booth returned to the lab he found his partner in much the same position he'd left her. Brennan was still studying Agent Clayton's bones, but she'd moved from his skull to his fractured tibia and fibula.

"Find anything new?" He asked.

"No." He tone was still clipped.

"Me neither." He sighed. "At least, not really."

Brennan looked up at this as if she expected him to continue talking. At least she was acknowledging his presence. Booth's stomach growled then as if to remind him that he did actually still exist. He'd worked through lunch and hadn't realized it and now it was well past time for dinner.

"How about we get something to eat and I'll tell you what happened?" He hoped that if they could get back into their normal routine she'd be more willing to hear him out.

"I have a lot to do here, so if you would just tell me anything pertinent to the case I'd really appreciate it. I don't need you to babysit me." She lectured him. "I don't need you." She said quietly, but not quietly enough.

Booth wondered then if it was possible to feel your heart break. That dull ache in his chest came back full force. The lump in his throat returned. His heart broke for both of them. He hadn't meant to hurt her, to make her feel as though she couldn't trust him. He stared at her for a long moment before he pulled it together.

"Come on, Bones." He almost choked. "We've both been at this all day. Let's just get some dinner and fill one another in and then you can come back her and work some more if you want." He sighed.

She was hungry. She did want to go to dinner with him, but her brain wouldn't stop screaming at her that this was a terrible idea. "Fine." She replied. She pulled off her gloves and put away the things she'd been working on before picking up her bag and following Booth out of the building.

She was glad he'd taken the hint. He walked in front of her rather than next to her with his hand on the small of her back. She wasn't sure she could take it right now if he tried to touch her even though she seemed to ache for it. She followed him out to his SUV and climbed into the passenger side.

The ride to Brennan's hotel was silent and Booth was glad for that. He hadn't asked her where she wanted to go for dinner, but he assumed she would probably want to go to her room when they were done. There really wasn't much more to be done at the lab.

Booth's heartbreak was steadily replaced by anger. Anger at himself for making his partner feel this way. Anger at Brennan for telling him she didn't need him. It was true that she didn't need anyone, but it still hurt like hell for her to tell him that. She'd often said it to others: Angela, Cam, Sully, but never to him. She'd always made him feel like she needed him around. He didn't know who to be angrier with so he just settled for getting angrier with himself.

* * *

The partners didn't talk much during dinner despite the pretense that they were having dinner to talk about the case. Booth briefly filled her in on what he'd learned from the women he'd interviewed. Brennan told him that they really hadn't learned much more from the particulates and bones. They spent most of the meal in silence.

Brennan wasn't sure how to feel about dinner. She was glad to be with Booth, but it was excruciating at the same time. She just wanted things to go back to normal, like they'd been before the whole brain tumor, coma dream, run off to Guatemala thing. She wanted her old Booth back, not this new one that made her feel defensive and uncertain.

The pair finished their meals and got up to leave. Booth briefly considered just leaving and letting Brennan walk up to her room alone. Instead his anger took over. He was going to tell her how he felt whether she wanted to hear it or not.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking up to my room by myself." She informed him as they stepped onto the elevator.

"I know."

He followed Brennan to her room and waited as she unlocked the door. She stuck the key card into the reader and pulled it out just with just a little too much gusto. She opened the door but then thought better of it and turned to face Booth.

"I don't need you to babysit me." She repeated her words from earlier.

What little self-control Booth had left was now gone. He didn't think he could stand it if she told him she didn't need him one more time. He caught the door just before it closed and pushed her inside. As soon as he had her inside he pushed her up against the door into a position reminiscent of the night before. Brennan's breath hitched without her permission at Booth's sudden closeness.

"You don't need me?" He questioned.

"No. I don't." She spat.

"Don't need me… Tell me you don't need me." He growled.

"I don't—" She stopped. What was she doing? She couldn't tell Booth she didn't need him.

"Tell me you don't need me." He demanded.

"I—" Whatever she had been about to say was cut off by his mouth on hers.

Whatever she had been angry about was now forgotten. She melted into him and returned his kiss. His tongue slipped out and glided along her lower lip seeking entrance. She opened her mouth to him immediately and their tongues met and Brennan could have sworn she saw stars.

Booth pulled her to him and pried his mouth away from hers. "Bones." He groaned. She continued to trail kisses along his jaw and down his neck. "Bones. Baby. Please stop." He was begging her.

She immediately pulled away from him; the pain of his rejection stinging more than she ever imagined it could.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Even though my Labor Day Weekend wasn't much of a weekend, my week was much busier. School is back in full swing and between work and other activities I don't have much free time. Anyway, here's the next installment. It's mostly angst with some crime solving. Eh... There are two chapters left (I promise the smut is in the next chapter, I'm pretty sure anyway).**

* * *

So she was right. He didn't want her. He'd just made that perfectly clear. Brennan immediately pulled away and stalked off toward her desk. Booth was left breathless from their kiss and confused at her sudden departure.

"Bones?" He called after her. "What are you doing?"

"It's okay, Booth. You made yourself clear. I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what, Bones?" He demanded.

She still hadn't turned to face him. "I'm sorry that I kissed you." She said quietly.

Booth was next to her in a few long strides. He sat down on the bed and pulled her chair to face him. One large hand came up to cup her cheek. "Bones." He whispered as he chuckled and shook his head against hers.

She was stiff under his hands, but her breath hitched at his touch. "Booth." She tried to make it sound like a warning, but it came out a strangled whisper.

He covered her hands with his. "Bones. I have to… You should know that I—"

"It's okay." She assured him dejectedly. "You don't have to…" She shook her head slowly and tried to turn away from him again.

"Bones!" He practically yelled. "Would you listen to what I'm trying to say here? I know you don't think I feel the same way."

"Booth, you don't have to do this." She tried to pull away from him again.

Suddenly annoyed Booth dropped her hands and stood up. He started to pace back and forth in front of the bed. "I knew Angela couldn't be right, you know? But I hoped she was. I dreamt about it. And when it hurt too much to dream about it I just laid awake at night and thought about it instead. And Sweets… He said it was the tumor that some part of my brain that wasn't lit up before now lights up like a Christmas tree. And Cam told me I had to be sure because if I wasn't… But I was sure. How could I not be sure?"

Brennan had turned around to face him. "What are you trying to say, Booth?" She asked warily. When he didn't answer her she got up and walked toward him. "What are you sure of?" She asked again. Her throat felt tight and it was suddenly harder to breathe. It seemed that whatever had been bothering him the last few weeks had finally bubbled to the surface, except Brennan wasn't sure she was going to like what he had to say. He seemed so…heartbroken. Tears pricked her eyes as she waited for him to respond.

The shrill ringing of his phone cut through the thick silence in the room. Booth's body seemed to relax a little as he sat on the edge of the bed to take the call. "Booth." He spoke into the phone.

Brennan watched his face as he listened to the caller speak. She wanted so badly to reach out and touch him and take all of his pain away, though rationally she knew her touch would do nothing to solve his problems. At this point she didn't much care if he was going to tell her he never wanted to see her again. She just wanted him to stop hurting.

She watched as he ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket. His hands were shaking. "Anything new?" She asked.

"Techs found a baseball bat at the scene. It was hidden under some brush. They'll bring it back to the lab to see if you can get anything off of it." He got up and turned to leave.

"Booth?" She asked. "Whatever this is… We'll get through it. We'll fix it, right?"

"Yeah, Bones." He sighed. "We'll fix it." He turned to leave, but just before he closed the door he poked his head back inside. "I'm going to run to my hotel and grab some stuff. I'll be back to get you in an hour if you want a ride."

"Yes. That sounds acceptable." She told him, slipping back into her professional persona.

* * *

As promised Booth returned an hour later to pick her up and take her back to the lab. They arrived before the lab techs so they had to wait around outside. Brennan desperately wanted to know what it was he was going to tell her, but she knew this wasn't the time to bring it up. She needed to compartmentalize. Instead she watched Booth pace back and forth up the walkway.

Finally one of the techs showed up, baseball bat in hand. Brennan took the evidence bag from him while the tech unlocked the door to let them in. As soon as they got inside Brennan donned gloves and pulled the bat out of the bag while Booth sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. He watched as she studied that bat.

Booth found himself lost in thought while Brennan examined the bat. He wished he'd been able to get it out. He had wanted nothing more than to tell her. She just didn't want to hear it. He'd been so close to telling her and she'd cut him off twice. When she finally asked him what it was he was going to say he just couldn't find it in himself to say it. Then he'd been literally saved by the bell with the phone call from the FBI tech. Booth sucked in a deep breath and blew it out again as he cradled his head in his hands. He rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands as he listened to her move around the lab.

After she'd collected the supplies she'd need Brennan collected several DNA samples from the different areas of the bat. They'd have to run overnight, so there was nothing more to be done at the lab tonight. She packaged the samples to be sent to the Jeffersonian and gave the other samples to the tech to be run overnight. She looked over to Booth and just watched him for a few moments.

"I'm finished." She informed Booth. "We can go if there's nothing else you need to do here."

He looked up at her with glassy eyes. "No, I'm good. We can go." He walked out of the lab without checking to make sure she was behind him.

The ride to Brennan's hotel was silent. Booth didn't even bother with the radio. Brennan watched out the window as the moonlit landscape passed her by. When they arrived Booth didn't move to get out of the vehicle and follow her up. Brennan got out and moved the close the door. Just as she began to walk away Booth rolled down the passenger side window.

"I'll pick you up at 7:00." He said.

"That's unnecessary. I can take a cab. Besides, the techs won't be in until 8:30. There's no reason to go in earlier."

"I thought we could get breakfast." He replied quietly.

Her heart leapt. "Sure."

Booth watched as she turned to walk away. He really needed to figure this out.

* * *

Booth arrived at 7:00 AM as promised. Brennan had already been up for several hours and was ready to leave when he arrived. Again she'd spent most of the night tossing and turning.

Booth hadn't slept much better. Unfortunately there wasn't much evidence to be gone through so he just reviewed what they had already collected. He hoped that the bat would yield some answers.

Breakfast was quiet with the partners each lost in thought. Booth was still trying to figure out how he was going to tell her. Brennan was still trying to figure out what had happened between them the night before. She kept replaying that kiss. Had he kissed her? Or had she kissed him? Now she couldn't remember. All she could remember was that it felt more right than anyone else she'd ever kissed. And it most definitely was not like kissing her brother.

After they'd eaten and paid for their meals the pair got up and headed back to Booth's borrowed SUV. He pulled away just as Brennan's phone began to chirp. She answered and was greeted with the news that the DNA had come back and there had been a partial match. She relayed the information to Booth who'd merely nodded and sped up a little.

They made it to the lab just as most of the techs were arriving. Brennan went to her computer and pulled up the DNA profile along with the partial matches. She pointed to the screen as she explained to Booth.

"The DNA is a partial match to Agent Clayton. His DNA is in the system since he's a federal agent." She added unnecessarily. "The assailant was a close relative of Clayton: A child or sibling."

Booth studied the screen, not really understanding what it all meant. "That rules out the wife and the mistresses."

"What about the sons?"

"Neither of them is left handed."

"Well that's the best lead we've got to go on right now. Do we have enough to at least get a warrant for the boys' DNA?"

"I don't know. I'll have to call Caroline. Can't you tell by how much DNA they share if it's one of the sons?"

"That's not how it works, Booth." She gave him that look that let him know that he'd just asked a ridiculous question.

While Booth called Caroline, Brennan examined the bat further. It was an adult sized bat, too heavy for a child. Brennan turned the bat in her hands studying the surface. She turned the bat again to look at knob end. The knob was still covered in debris that Brennan gently removed to uncover an initial and a name: J. Clayton.

Brennan did a mental search through all of the case information. Neither Clayton's wife nor his sons had names that began with "J." Booth hadn't mentioned any siblings.

When Booth returned he didn't have good news. Unless they could come up with something connecting the bat with one of the sons they could no get a warrant for the DNA. Brennan showed Booth the name on the bat.

"Do you know if Agent Clayton has any siblings?" Brennan asked.

"According to the wife he has a sister… Jenna." Booth looked up to meet his partner's eyes. "Good work, Bones."

* * *

The interview with Jenna Clayton had gone surprisingly well. The woman had apparently been so wracked with guilt she told the partners what happened with little hesitation. Jenna and Kathy had been friends since high school, that friendship only strengthening when Kathy married David. Clayton's wife had found the text messages and emails from the other women. He apparently hadn't been very good at covering his tracks. Naturally Kathy had confided in Jenna. David Clayton had been out for a walk on the trails when he realized he was being followed. Jenna confronted him about the affairs and when he told her to mind her own business she pushed him. David stumbled off the path down the hill. He caught his foot on a tree root breaking his ankle and wrist as he landed. When he threatened to turn Jenna in she went back to her car and got the bat. Jenna hit David twice in the head before dragging his body further off the trail and hiding the bat under some brush.

Jenna Clayton voluntarily gave a sample of her DNA, which was matched to DNA found on the bat. The only thing left to do was get Jenna back to the Federal Building for processing and inform Director Scott as well as Agent Clayton's wife. Brennan waited in the lobby as Booth notified all the proper parties.

* * *

It had been a long and exhausting two days. The case hadn't been particularly challenging, but everything that had gone down between the partners had been draining. Once again they found themselves at the hotel bar eating dinner in silence. They still had a lot of paperwork to finish, but had stopped to come down and eat rather than ordering room service.

Once they finished dinner Booth walked Brennan up to her room one final time.

"I'm sorry I ruined your book tour." He said sincerely.

"You didn't ruin my book tour. I was happy to help."

"Yeah, but this was supposed to be a break from the lab. I kind of ruined that." He smiled.

"It's alright." She smiled back. "I was bored anyway. Turns out there isn't much to do on the road."

"It was good to see you, Bones."

"I was only gone for two days, Booth." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah." He smiled. "Have a good time. Stay safe." He moved in to hug her.

"I will." She hugged him back.

Brennan opened the door to her room as Booth turned to walk away. The next two weeks would be torture, but maybe by the time she got back he'd know how to tell her.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Well, I meant to get this out much sooner. Like last weekend much sooner. Unfortunately (or fortunately, I guess) a trip home and torturous amounts of studying hijacked my weekend. Then the weekend ended up being inordinately busy. Then this weekend my husband decided we should go live in the woods and get eaten by a bear (I didn't... Get eaten by a bear, that is. And I survived a weekend in the wilderness, go me!). But I digress. These are all pretty much excuses since all I really had to do was edit this chapter.**

**So since you probably don't want to hear any more excuses about why I'm so late in providing you with the much desired and long awaited smut, here it is. (Why yes, I did say there was smut in this one!)**

**One more chapter after this, an epilogue of sorts. **

* * *

Booth made it all the way out to his SUV before he decided he couldn't go through with it. He couldn't let her leave again without telling her the truth. He pulled himself together and headed back toward Brennan's hotel room.

Once he had left Brennan stepped into her room, shut the door, and leaned up against it. She slid down the door and pulled her knees up to her chest. She could do this. Two weeks really wasn't that long. She'd stay busy working on her next book and she wouldn't think about Booth. When she'd formulated a plan she pulled herself together and stood up and headed toward her desk to get to work.

She'd just turned on her computer when she heard a knock at the door. The sound was so soft she thought maybe she'd just been hearing things. Then the knock came again. This time louder and it was a knock she knew well. She sighed and got up from her chair to open the door.

"Booth." She regarded him warily. "What are you doing here? It's been an exhausting couple of days and I have a signing scheduled tomorrow that I'd like to be well rested for. I don't need you to tuck me in and make sure I'm safe." She lectured him.

Well that did it. Brennan really needed to stop telling him she didn't need him. He pushed past her and shut the door as he pushed her against it. The position was reminiscent of the night before. Brennan sucked in a breath and looked at Booth wide-eyed. "You keep saying you don't need me." He growled. "But when it comes down to it…when I ask you to just tell me what you do need, you can't do it. Or you won't."

This was not working out how he had planned. All he really wanted was to come up here and tell her he loved her, but she kept insisting she didn't need him. Didn't need anyone. And every time she reiterated that she didn't need him it cut that much deeper. All he wanted to do was love her and keep her safe and happy and she insisted on making that as difficult as possible. The woman was infuriating.

Brennan looked up at him. "I don't know what that means."

He laughed at this. "Of course you don't." He spat. "Tell me, Bones. Tell me you don't need me." He challenged.

"I—" She started.

"You know what? Let me help you out. We can start with me since you seem so intent on making it crystal clear that you don't need me."

"Booth, that's not what I meant—" She tried again.

"Then why don't you tell me what you did mean? Because it sure as hell sounded like you were telling me that you didn't need me."

"I couldn't—" She sucked in a breath and tried to calm her nerves. "I couldn't let myself need you. After Cam and the Epps case… You made it clear. You drew a line. After that I couldn't do it because I knew you would never feel the same."

"What are you—"

She cut him off. "The line, Booth! You said you had to keep your personal life personal and not let it interfere with your professional life because someone would get hurt. After that I knew I couldn't let myself need you because it would never just be strictly professional." She sighed.

And then realization dawned on him. The line. The god damned line. The one he'd drawn to protect himself. He thought he'd known then that she would never love him. Could never love him. He'd said that to shore up his own defenses and here it was coming back to haunt him.

"Bones. The line. It wasn't there to protect you." He said softly. "If I ever, in a million years, thought you would want me I would never have drawn that line. I said that because I loved you and I knew then that if I didn't rein it in it would only hurt you in the long run. Someone who loves you makes a decision to cut into a dead woman's skull and that decision nearly costs her, her life. And all because you couldn't just be patient. I couldn't risk one of us making a decision like that. A decision that could kill you… Or kill me and leave you without a protector no matter how much you think you don't need one. Bones, I couldn't let the fact that I loved you rule me, because I knew you didn't love me back."

Brennan stared at him wide-eyed. That was not the reaction Booth had been looking for. Leaping into his arms and declaring her love for him? He could have dealt with that. Hell he would have welcomed that. This deer-in-the-headlights look was not exactly what he was looking for.

"I should go." He whispered. "You have a long day tomorrow." He ghosted his lips over her temple but never really made contact.

As he reached around her to open the door she grabbed his wrist and moved to switch their positions and pin him against the door. Before he could get any words to form, her lips were on his. She was soft and warm against him and everything he imagined she would be. This kiss was different than the one last night. It was slower and less aggressive. It was about exploration. Brennan traced his bottom lip with her tongue seeking access that Booth immediately granted.

Brennan's hands rested on his chest and then fisted his shirt pulling him in closer to her. He was hard and soft all at the same time and she just wanted to melt into him. Booth's hands circled her waist before moving to her lower back and tracing soothing patterns there. Booth nipped at her lower lip before trailing kisses down her neck only stopping when he met the fabric of her shirt.

"Booth." She whispered. "Please don't leave. Not tonight. Not… Please don't leave." For some reason she couldn't seem to bring herself to ask him to never leave. She didn't need to. Booth knew what she needed.

"I won't leave you." He panted. "I'll never leave you." His hand came up to move the collar of her button down shirt out of the way. When he was met with resistance he deftly unfastened the top two buttons before pulling the shirt out of the way and dropping kisses along her collarbone.

Brennan tilted her head to allow him better access to her neck while rocking her hips forward into his. She was rewarded with a guttural groan from Booth. Her hands found the buttons of his shirt and began to work at them.

Booth's hands came up to still hers. "We can't…" Her body tensed. His hands dropped hers and moved to cup her face. He smiled as he touched his forehead to hers. "Bones. Our first time is not going to be me fucking you against a hotel room door." She relaxed.

Booth pushed away from the door taking Brennan with him. His lips were on hers, on her neck, on her shoulder, nipping at her ear lobe, they were everywhere as he walked her back toward the bed. He came to a stop just before the backs of Brennan's legs hit the edge of the bed. Again her hands were undoing the buttons on his shirt at lightening speed.

When she'd rid him of the button down she pulled at the hem of his t-shirt. Booth reached behind his back and fisted the t-shirt before pulling it off in one smooth movement. Brennan was met with his bare chest. Her fingers traced the lines of his pecs and abs as she studied him. Normally he would be turned off by a woman studying his body, but this wasn't just any woman. This was Bones. His Bones.

Booth hooked a finger under her chin and gently guided her face up so her eyes met his. She was instantly lost in his warm chocolate gaze. Booth's voice brought her back to reality. "Bones, I told you I wouldn't leave. And I won't. But this can't just be casual for me. It… This… You're everything to me and if you're not all in I can't do this. I can't just be that guy who satisfies biological urges. I need more than that. I need you."

The near constant aching she'd felt in her chest since their awkward dinner the night before she'd left lessened a little. However, she suddenly found herself unable to come up with the words he needed to hear. The words she knew she felt for Booth. Instead she nodded and reached up and pulled his head down to hers. Brennan kissed him, softly at first, willing him to understand that she could be what he needed.

Booth didn't expect her to be able to say the words he wanted to hear and he trusted that she wouldn't stay if she couldn't at least try to be what he'd asked. He pulled Brennan into him and deepened the kiss. His hands quickly finished undoing the buttons on her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders. His lips latched onto her collarbone as his hands circled her back to release the clasp on her bra.

He gently pushed Brennan backward onto the bed and crawled over top of her. Booth trailed kisses down her shoulder and licked a trail between her breasts. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he took on nipple into his mouth. He laved one pink peak until it pebbled before moving on to the other. Brennan shuddered under his touch barely containing moans of pleasure.

"Don't hold back." He murmured against her skin as he kissed his way toward the waistband of her jeans.

Brennan hooked her hands under Booth's arms and hauled him up before flipping them so she was straddling him. Booth just looked at her wide-eyed with a lop-sided grin on his face pleasantly surprised that she'd gotten the drop on him. She trailed kisses down his neck and chest while her hands worked at his belt and the button and zipper to his pants. Her hand slipped inside and cupped him through his boxers earning her a moan from Booth. She pulled her hand out and slid his jeans down his hips before he moved to kick them the rest of the way off.

Booth's hands found her waist and guided her to straddle his hips. She ground down on his erection as she nipped at his collarbone. Booth worked the button and zipper on her jeans and ran a finger along the top edge of her panties. Brennan climbed off of him and shucked her jeans before moving to straddle him again. His fingers returned to the top edge of her panties teasing as she moved over him.

Brennan traced the hard lines of his chest and stomach with her tongue and lips while Booth's fingers explored her lower half. His fingers teased along the edges of her panties before pushing the soaked fabric aside and tracing along her folds. Brennan shuddered and moaned his name at the new contact. She ground down on him trapping his hand in place.

"More!" She panted.

"You're gonna have to let my hand free if you want more." He smiled as he whispered in her ear.

She lifted off of him just enough to let his hand free and he rolled them so he was back in control. Booth hovered over and then moved to her side as his hand ghosted over her stomach and drifted back down to pull her panties off. She lifted her hips to help him slide them off. Booth's fingers trailed along her folds as he captured her lips with his own again. Brennan arched up against his hand as he teased her. She called out his name again as she moved her hips trying to get his fingers to go where she wanted them most.

"You'll get what you want a lot faster if you relax." He teased.

"Booth!" She knew she was whining, but she didn't care.

Finally Brennan's movements stilled and Booth sunk one finger into her. He smiled at her sharp intake of breath. He set an easy rhythm before adding another finger. Brennan began to meet his thrusts and Booth knew she was getting close. He swirled the pad of his thumb around her clit once and then again before Brennan shattered beneath him. Her breath came in small gasps as he stroked softly bringing her down from her high.

Brennan curled into him and buried her face in space between his neck and shoulder. She nipped along his neck and collarbone as her hands roamed his body before settling on his hips and pulling him into her. That motion earned her a groan from Booth. Finally she freed him of his boxers and circled one hand around his pulsing cock. Booth thrust once into her hand involuntarily as she stroked him.

"Bones." He groaned. "If you keep that up…"

Brennan stopped stroking him and grabbed his hips to guide him to her. Booth braced himself on one arm while he used his other hand to guide himself to her entrance. He brushed the tip of his aching cock against her clit before settling at her core. Brennan moaned at the contact and arched up toward him taking the tip of him inside her. Booth let out a breath as he slid the rest of the way inside her in one smooth, slow motion.

He stayed where he was for a few moments, allowing her to adjust. Brennan soon became impatient and began to move beneath him, pushing her hips up into him. Booth settled even deeper inside of her before finally moving. He pulled out nearly all the way before burying himself inside her wet heat again. He repeated the motion a few times before Brennan began to grow impatient again.

This time she grabbed his hips and took control pulling him into her and meeting his strokes. Booth groaned at the rough contact and his hips began to move of their own volition. He'd intended to make love to her slowly and gently and had, for the most part, been successful. Now he found he couldn't control himself and let his body take over. The pair quickly found a comfortable rhythm. Once again Brennan found herself on the precipice trying desperately trying not to tumble over before Booth.

"Let go, Bones." Booth pleaded with her. He was close.

Brennan let her body relax and enjoy the sensations that only Booth had ever been able to elicit in her. She reveled in the way their bodies fit together perfectly and watched in fascination as he moved over her. She felt her second orgasm of the night begin to wash over her and her eyes fluttered shut.

Booth's hand came up to cup her cheek as he continued to move in and out of her. His strokes were becoming less and less measured and more and more frantic. "Look at me, baby. Please open your eyes and look at me." He winced internally at the slip, but she didn't seem to notice.

Her eyelids were heavy with arousal and she struggled to open them. When she finally did she was met with his intense gaze. She'd never understood what he'd meant when he'd said you could see things in other people's eyes until this moment. At this moment when she looked into his eyes Brennan saw nothing but love and adoration and acceptance and everything she'd ever wanted from another person and particularly from Booth. That realization was enough to push her over the edge.

Brennan came hard and pulled Booth over the edge with her. When he couldn't hold himself up anymore he collapsed on top of her. Brennan was still dropping soft kisses on his shoulder as he buried his face in her neck.

"Booth." She whispered almost so softly she wasn't sure he'd hear her.

"What's wrong? Am I hurting you?" He moved to get off of her.

She pulled him back on top of her "No. Booth, I—" Brennan cupped his face with both hands and pulled him in for a slow and gentle kiss. "I love you." She turned her head to bury her face in his neck.

"Bones." He shifted to kiss her temple. "Bones, hey, look at me." He hooked a finger under her chin and guided her face to look at him. "I love you, too." He touched his lips to hers again and got lost in her kiss.

Finally Booth shifted so he could lie next to her and pulled her into his side. The partners finally fell into a deep sleep sated and entangled with one another.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Well, this is 3 weeks late in coming and doesn't actually contain any smut to make up for that. My only excuse is that school and work are kicking my ass. Without further ado I present to you the end of "Tell Me You Don't Need Me."**

* * *

"You didn't have to pick me up from the airport. I'm perfectly capable of making arrangements to get myself home." It was really only a half-hearted complaint on her part. The last two weeks of her book tour had almost been worse than the first two days. She'd missed Booth no matter how much she didn't want to admit to it.

"I know, I know. You can take care of yourself. But I wanted to pick you up. Besides, I missed you." He smiled as he pulled her into hug.

Brennan dropped her carry on bag and looped her arms around his neck. "I missed you too, Booth." She mumbled into his neck before pulling his head down for a kiss.

The pair's reunion was interrupted by some rather obnoxious throat clearing. "Get a room, would you?" Angela smirked at them.

"I don't know what that means." Brennan dead panned.

"Of course you don't, Sweetie." Angela laughed. "How was your trip?"

"Long, awful, and boring for the most part. There was nothing to do when I wasn't at the book signing or working on the case in Denver. I don't know how authors do book tours regularly." Brennan complained.

"It couldn't have been so bad." Angela smiled as she motioned toward Booth. "It looks like you and studly FBI guy finally got your act together."

"I don't know wha—"

"It means we worked things out and we're…you know…us." Booth finally came to Brennan's rescue.

Brennan just looked at him curiously for a moment before accepting his answer for what it was—an acknowledgment that they were something without defining them as something. She took Booth's offered hand and the trio made their way toward baggage claim

* * *

"I don't know why I let Angela talk me into going out tonight. I'm tired from the flight and I really just wanted to spend the night unwinding." Brennan complained as she and Booth left Founding Fathers.

Booth just chuckled. She rarely indulged Angela's whims without putting up some sort of resistance, but today she'd just gone along with it—probably in hopes that Angela wouldn't go blabbing the change in her and Booth's relationship. As if anything could prevent Angela from spreading that juicy piece of information. But to her credit Angela stayed quiet about the pair and while they seemed a little closer than usual there was no outward changes to their behavior and no one really noticed.

The pair stood awkwardly on the street corner before Booth spoke. "Wanna ride?"

"That would be nice." Brennan smiled.

The ride was mostly quiet as he concentrated on driving and she stared out the window. Booth hadn't felt this awkward with a girl since his first real date in high school. "You could stay." Brennan said so quietly he almost missed it.

"I don't have any clothes or anything." He shrugged. Booth smiled to himself as he realized he probably didn't need to worry about a lack of clothing.

"You don't have to." Her voice sounded small and a little afraid.

"No. I just—" He suddenly realized his earlier excuse had sounded like a rejection to her. "We should stop by my place to get some stuff."

Booth turned at the next intersection and headed back toward his apartment. Brennan followed him up and sat down on the couch while her packed a bag. She was exhausted from three weeks of near constant travel. His couch was comfortable and smelled like Booth and the combination quickly lulled her to sleep.

Booth padded back out into the living room to find his partner passed out on his couch. He smiled as he watched her sleep. She always seemed so content and peaceful when she slept. Not wanting to wake her Booth sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. It wasn't long before he too was fast asleep.

* * *

Brennan woke with a start. She was warm. Too warm. And she'd been sleeping in an odd position. It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the dark so she could take in her surroundings. She remembered suggesting to Booth that they stay at her apartment, but this was most definitely not her apartment. Something began to move beneath her and she suddenly realized where she was.

"Bones, could you move a little? Your elbow is digging into my ribs." He mumbled as shifted his arms around her.

"Why are we on your couch? I thought we were staying at my apartment?"

"You were asleep when I came back out here." He yawned. "Now go back to sleep."

"Booth. We can't sleep on the couch." She tried to pull out of his arms, but he held on tighter. "Your back is going to hurt tomorrow."

"Don't care. Sleepy." He mumbled into her neck.

"Booth." She sighed. "Come on. Get up. I've spent the last three weeks sleeping in hotel beds and airplane seats. I'd like to sleep in a decent bed."

With a little more grumbling and prodding Brennan was finally able to convince him to get up and go to bed. After changing into one of his old FBI t-shirts she crawled into bed next to an already passed out Booth. He'd hardly slept in the two weeks since Denver. Between worrying about what was going on between the two of them and worrying about her being out alone on this book tour Booth had maybe gotten a few hours of sleep each night. Toward the end he was starting to look like the walking dead.

Brennan pulled the covers up and curled up into Booth's side. Even in his sleep he reached out for her. His arm circled around her waist and pulling her body into his. Finally she drifted off into a dreamless sleep. She too had gotten little sleep during her trip and not because of hotel beds and airplane seats, but because after one night with Booth it was clear to her that she never wanted to sleep alone again.


End file.
